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How do I protect my outside outlets from someone steeling electricity?

How do I protect my outside outlets from someone steeling electricity?


  #1  
Old 03-28-01, 03:13 PM
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How do I protect my outside outlets from someone steeling electricity?
Other the putting up a fence. Or getting a vicious dog.

are there any lock box on the market. My circuit break does not list outside power.
 
  #2  
Old 03-28-01, 03:24 PM
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There has to be a breaker that the outside plugs are on, rather it is marked or not is another thing, but it is on a breaker. You may have to switch one off at a time to find the right one. However switching it off may not be an option if other things are on the circuit.
 
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Old 03-28-01, 03:40 PM
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possibly a w/p cover with ability to include a small padlock???

 
  #4  
Old 03-28-01, 05:04 PM
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they do make little "480 VOLTS" stickers...













sorry, couldn't help myself....
 
  #5  
Old 03-28-01, 06:49 PM
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Depending on that circuits wiring configuration, If you find that one perticular inside outlet comes immediately before the outside outlets in question, a GCFI plug might work at that inside location, and it would be simply a matter of pushing the test button on the GFI to disconnect the outside plugs, and push reset to connect again. Perhaps other opinions on such an arrangement would be most welcomed, just an idea that poped up.
 
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Old 03-28-01, 07:14 PM
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dkerr;
I wire so inside GFI's will serve outside receptacles. I do so primarily because of the sensitive nature of GFI vs. the great outdoors.
I see some people who will turn on x-mas lites that way, not that i can recommend a GFI as a switch....
 
  #7  
Old 03-28-01, 07:23 PM
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wirenuts another possibility is if a specific inside outlet is just before the outside outlets, you can run that connection from there and install a regular switch to control outside plugs.

The GFI things was just something that pop up that required no additional wiring, rather it would be advisable or not is quite another matter which is the reason I asked for other opinions.
 
  #8  
Old 03-29-01, 09:46 AM
Wgoodrich
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If it were me and I had that problem, I would go inside directly on the oppisite side of the wall of that outside receptacle and cut in a remodle box, run a 12/2 from that new box into the outside receptacle box. I would take of the black wire and connect to the black wire I added and connect the white wire with a black identification tape on it to the screw where the original wire was connected on that outside receptacle. Then I would install a regular switch in the remodle box connecting black and white wire [again with a black id tape on the white wire] to switch. Then you can turn off just that outside receptacle, but if YOU want to use it just turn on the switch until done and again turn the switch off when you are done. YOU have the choice to use your outside receptacle then not you unknown buddies.

about a 1 hour job to do it.

Hope this helps

Wg
 
  #9  
Old 03-31-01, 09:34 AM
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Wondering why you think some one is stealing power.
All said is nice, but would instal GFI at box for outside outlets, on thier own ckt, not shared with anything else. Murphy's law...................
 
  #10  
Old 03-31-01, 03:16 PM
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welllyaaaknowww;

the whole californy things gone political, NY senators are already predicting a brown out, dubya wants to drill for more oil ( go figure!), and it smells to me like the oil gig in the 70's.

so the original Q's concern may be a daily reality @ $.98 a kilowatt!

 
 

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